Imagine every West End and Broadway musical having a full and complete orchestra to play its soundtrack and how amazing it would sound…
If that is something you want to get on board with, then look no further than an evening with Three Phantoms. Comprising of Earl Carpenter, Jeremy Seacomb and Richard Woodford, along with Katie Hall and Olivia Brereton; Three Phantoms is an evening of entertainment with something for everyone to enjoy. From classic musical theatre songs to newer and more unusual show tunes, with a bit of Disney thrown in for good measure, it would be hard to leave the concert without having a smile on your face.
Fresh from the UK tour of Les Misérables, Carpenter and Hall show their close friendship truly is and bring other friends along for the ride. It is clear to see from the camaraderie that all five of them get on well, and they all get along well with the conductor, Anthony Gabriele.
Three Phantoms has been going since 2008 and it is clear to see why it is so popular with audiences: musicals and laughter! It’s clear that every detail has been thought about, planned and rehearsed – even those moment d that seemed unrehearsed. There were a couple of moments when people forgot what they were meant to be saying, and even a moment when Brereton left the stage before she was meant to, but the performers were able to keep the audience on side and it was clear they were thoroughly entertained!
Act one took us in a journey through classic musical theatre, with songs from ‘Something Rotten’, ‘Company’, ‘Sunset Boulevard’ and we were treated to a gorgeous rendition of For Good from ‘Wicked’ from the three phantoms themselves. The first act finished with songs from different versions of musicals based on Gaston Leroux’s novel ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ – obviously finishing with the most famous, by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Hal Prince.
Act two started with a journey through Broadway musicals including ‘Young Frankenstein’, ‘Ragtime’ and instead of finishing with Disney’s Frozen, we were treated to a performance by all five of Into the Unknown, which rang out perfectly in the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. We also got to hear the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra play music from ‘The Sound of Music’ and ‘A Little Night Music’ without any vocals over them, to show us why they do what they do! Of course, the other musical all five performers have starred in, is Les Misérables and the evening was rounded off with a medley of numbers from this classic. It fitted and finished the evening as to be expected.
It is a show that can be enjoyed by all ages and will remind everyone exactly why they love the theatre!
Check the Three Phantoms Twitter @ThreePhantoms for future dates.
Reviewer: Jenn McKean
Reviewed: 1st October 2022
North West End UK Rating: ★★★★★